The Academia del Cine Catalán to open new headquarters in the iconic Torre Avenir de Sarrià

The Academia del Cine Catalán will finally have its own space in Barcelona. Torre Avenir, located in the Sarrià neighbourhood and managed by the Fundación Julio Muñoz Ramonet, will be the institution's new headquarters. The announcement was made by Mayor Jaume Collboni, President Judith Colell and Culture Minister Sonia Hernández.

The building, owned by the City Council, will house both the Academy's offices and activities open to the public. The proposals include open-air film screenings in the gardens and round tables indoors, with the aim of bringing the seventh art closer to the public.

The refurbishment of Torre Avenir, currently at the executive-project stage, will begin in September 2026. The works are expected to be completed in the second half of 2027. The total budget is around three million euros, funded by the City Council, the Generalitat and the Fundación Muñoz Ramonet.

Mayor Collboni stressed that Torre Avenir will not only be an administrative headquarters, but an open space to turn it into the Casa del Cine Catalán. The project will have BIMSA's technical support and, once completed, the Academy will occupy 131 square metres on the building's top floor.

The Catalan film industry is experiencing a period of expansion, with more than 41,000 jobs and 20% of national production. Turnover reaches 8.636 billion euros, according to the latest figures.

Until now, the Academy operated from a small office on the ground floor of the SGAE. The move to Torre Avenir seeks to broaden public participation and give the institution greater visibility beyond the Premios Gaudí, which this year will be held on 8 February at the Liceu. The building's gardens will host screenings, debates and training programmes for all audiences.